The term has often been used to describe the group of players – including John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Lampard – who are all around the age of 30.

Yet all too often, the phrase appears to have undermined any decent form England have managed to get themselves into – given the elite group of players have failed to deliver the major prize craved by the nation.

Lampard is brave enough to accept the ‘golden generation’ have not delivered. But since he did not come up with the name, he has found the whole idea slightly extraordinary.

“The whole ‘golden generation’ thing is quite frustrating for us players,” he said.

“We didn’t make up the term. I don’t know where it got made.

“But the reason people talk about the ’golden generation’ is that we have a good crop of players.

“They are very talented individuals, but we have not made the most of it. We have all held our hands up to that many times.”

But after building an eight-match winning sequence to reach South Africa with two matches to spare, Lampard admitted: “Now is a great chance. I am not saying we are going to win the World Cup, but we are in better shape than we have been.